Aker Kvaerner, Linde and Statoil Enter LNG Technology Alliance

With interests in Nigeria, Venezuela and Brazil, Statoil (STO) wishes to play a greater role around the Atlantic margins in supplying LNG to the burgeoning USA market, while Aker Kværner and Linde foresee a promising future as suppliers of technical solutions and engineering studies. Annual growth of 5-10 per cent is expected for new LNG plant construction. This new Alliance is a natural successor to the successful Statoil - Linde LNG Technology Alliance, which has led to the development and qualification of the next generation of spiral-wound heat exchangers (SWHEs) and the Mixed Fluid Cascade liquefaction process (MFC). SWHEs have already been delivered to Shell for LNG projects located on the North West Shelf of Australia and in Brunei, and are en route for the Shell Sakhalin project and Statoil's Snøhvit development. Scheduled to come into operation at Snøhvit in 2006, MFC is the world's most efficient liquefaction process, using electric motors as compressor drivers for the first time. Project execution, construction and maritime aspects are areas where Aker Kværner have extensive experience and will be the ideal new partner for Statoil and Linde. The new Alliance will build on this solid foundation, focusing on the development, concepts and solutions for offshore LNG production plants with particular attention being paid to the optimum integration of the liquefaction facility, module based construction methods, required gas treatment and utility systems. This will ensure a safe and cost efficient design with high operational regularity.